Ranger Infiltrator; Adaptation question


Rules Questions

Sczarni

3 people marked this as FAQ candidate.
Adaptation wrote:

At 3rd level, an infiltrator learns how to copy the unusual abilities of his prey. He chooses one type of creature he has selected as a favored enemy, such as “aberrations.” The Ranger selects one ability or feat from the adaptation list for that type (see below). A Ranger can use adaptations for 10 minutes per day per Ranger level he possesses. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but it must be used in 10-minute increments. If the adaptation requires the Ranger to make a more specific choice (such as what skill to use with Skill Focus), this choice is permanent and cannot be changed.

At 8th, 13th, and 15th-level, the Ranger chooses another one of his favored enemy types and selects one adaptation from that type’s list, as well as an additional adaptation from any one list of a creature type he’s selected (including the one just chosen, if so desired). The infiltrator can only use one adaptation at a time. The ranger can use the camouflage and hide in plain sight class features whenever he is using adaptations.

3 questions:

1. How does the Ranger activate this? Is it a free/immediate/swift/move/standard/full round action? This could have big implications. For example, if it is an immediate action, the Ranger could activate "Great Fortitude" in response to stimulus that demands a Fortitude save and that would be very beneficial.

2. What kind of action is it to end the Adaptation? Clearly the Ranger can end it early (but it will still use up a 10 minute increment).

3. If an Adaptation requires a more specific choice (such as Skill Focus) could an Infiltrator who has chosen Favoured Enemy (Human) select Skill Focus at 3rd, 8th, 13th and 15th level if he chooses a different Skill each time? Or would that Infiltrator have to select Skill Focus (for various skills) with adaptations from different Favoured Enemies?

Obviously GM discretion would have a big part in this - I'm looking for clarity in regards to PFS rules.

Thank you in advance.


Krodjin wrote:
1. How does the Ranger activate this? Is it a free/immediate/swift/move/standard/full round action? This could have big implications. For example, if it is an immediate action, the Ranger could activate "Great Fortitude" in response to stimulus that demands a Fortitude save and that would be very beneficial.

This is a tough call, and I think you're right that GM discretion is the ticket. The rules have this to say about extraordinary abilities:

Extraordinary Abilities wrote:
Using an extraordinary ability is usually not an action because most extraordinary abilities automatically happen in a reactive fashion. Those extraordinary abilities that are actions are usually standard actions that cannot be disrupted, do not require concentration, and do not provoke attacks of opportunity.

So, the question becomes: is this an automatic ability, or is it an action? My guess is that it requires a standard action because you're activating the ability, not merely using it. Most feats, like Power Attack, are extraordinary abilities, and you merely use them, they don't require an activation and don't have a duration. However, some of the abilities you're able to use literally are feats, so it's a tough call.

Krodjin wrote:
2. What kind of action is it to end the Adaptation? Clearly the Ranger can end it early (but it will still use up a 10 minute increment).

Almost certainly a free action; I can't see why it would be anything else, but again, check with your GM.

Krodjin wrote:
3. If an Adaptation requires a more specific choice (such as Skill Focus) could an Infiltrator who has chosen Favoured Enemy (Human) select Skill Focus at 3rd, 8th, 13th and 15th level if he chooses a different Skill each time? Or would that Infiltrator have to select Skill Focus (for various skills) with adaptations from different Favoured Enemies?

From the wording it sounds like you can only choose each individual ability once, which would mean you only get to choose one skill focus per favoured enemy type. While I don't think it would be unbalanced to allow a player to choose something like skill focus over and over, it doesn't seem to be the intention.

I wish I had some kind of official answers for you, but there's one opinion for ya. ^__^ Hope that helps, and good luck with the character!


Curious to hear somebody's official ruling on this.

I've been playing it as a free action, but not as an interrupt. That is, if I haven't said I have it up, and the GM calls will saves, I don't use my Iron Will adaptation for that. But I do activate it immediately after, and don't count it as an action. I announce between turns, when the GM calls initiative if I've got that spidy sense tingling, or whenever. But not after the GM calls a roll that the adaptation would benefit. That's how I've been playing it, anyways.


bump...

feel like somebody "official" should have something to say about this...

activate adaptation, free or standard action?

I'm still thinking free. Adaptation comes from familiarity with a favored enemy, getting into their mindset. Being so familiar that you can mimic them in some way. Getting Iron Will from undead? Only interpretation is that you can make your mind rather dull and glassy as per undead, so effects requiring a will save are more likely to slide off or around you. This is a matter of concentration or focus. How long does it take you to get into that mindset? Hard to say.

But, given that the use is limited per day to 10 minutes per level, and must be taken in 10 minute increments, if must be interpreted that using adaptation is somehow difficult/draining, and also that it's hard to shake off once you're in that mindset, since you need to use full 10 minute increments with each use.

Still could go either way.

1) you're so familiar and trained in infiltrating your favored enemy's community that you can instantly become like them, take on one of their characteristics. It's a mindset that is deeply part of your own, waiting to snap into place in an instant (ie as a free action). So deeply part of you, that it's then hard to shake off (10 minute increments.)

2) still familiar and trained, but takes effort to get yourself into the mindset (standard action), sort of a defense mechanism against actually becoming one of your favored enemies without meaning to (as opposed to it being a free action, something that could snap into place in an instant.)

Sczarni

^thanks for the bump


Still would like to see something official come out for this....


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Official responses are unlikely at this point given the shift in focus to New 'n' Pathy!.

1. If it doesn't say, it's a standard action.

2. See 1.

3. Not sure on this one. I'm inclined to say "yes" since nothing says you can't take the same option with a different suboption and since Skill Focus is one of those feats you can take multiple times. You'd still only be able to use one at a time, though.


The default rule is, if it requires activation and doesn't specify it's a standard action.

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